Category Archives: saving money on wedding

Wedding planning can seem like a balancing act. On one hand, you want a beautiful wedding day that’s exactly like your envisioned dream wedding. On the other hand, you don’t want to get in over your head financially. That’s why we’ve put together a list of tips that’ll help you balance both goals—without feeling like you’re balancing precariously with no net (and no end in sight!).

Set a budget (and stick to it). If you want to keep down costs, don’t skip this important step: discuss your wedding budget with your fiance and organize the funds you available into a wedding budget that you can stick to. If you have any family members or friends that have offered to contribute, talk to them about the amount they want to contribute (and don’t forget to thank them!). Setting a wedding budget gives you numbers to stick to, so you don’t end up with a heaping stack of receipts for less significant wedding expenditures and no funds for the important items on your wedding planning checklist (i.e. venue, food, etc.).

Buy off the rack. The cost of a wedding dress can eat up most of your wedding budget, but only if you let it. Instead, browse through the clearance racks and search for a dress that can be altered to fit. Often, the cost of a clearance dress and the alterations can be less than a new dress.

Trim your guest list. It’s okay to drop your “the more, the merrier” approach when the wedding budget gets tight. Take distant family relations off your wedding guest list or make your wedding an adult-only affair. Use wording like ‘Please join us at our adults-only wedding reception.’ Or ‘Due to limitations, we can only accommodate adults at our wedding reception.’

Shop around for the right wedding vendors.Choosing the right vendors (here’s how) is one of the key ways you can trim dollars off your wedding budget. Note the term “right.” The right wedding vendor is not always the cheapest; you don’t want to choose a sub-par wedding vendor that delivers low-quality service (or even worse, no service).

Don’t buy too many (or too expensive) wedding favors. Wedding favors can be a really fun wedding detail, but it can also become a huge wedding expense if you are not careful. When dollars get tight, make sure you allocate funds for big impact items like a beautiful venue, and don’t overspend on wedding favors you don’t need.

DIY—within reason. Tackling certain tasks yourself can be a huge savings, if you’re diligent about your funds and time. Do your research before you take on a DIY project; often the amount of time and supplies needed can surpass the amount you would have spent to rent the item. If you do take on a DIY project, don’t be afraid to ask your friends and family for help so you don’t get stressed out (here’s more tips so you can handle wedding planning stress) and get all the items checked off your wedding planning checklist.

Look into whether it’s cheaper to rent or buy. Before you sign on the dotted line to rent your décor, compare your options. In certain cases, it can be cheaper to purchase décor (new or used-check online) instead of renting (and you may be able to resell it afterward!).